ROGER LEE FROM BASINGSTOKE AND PEWSEY CAUGHT IN SHOCKING INTERNET STING BY DARK JUSTICE IN NEWCASTLE

In a disturbing case that highlights the dangers of online grooming, Roger Lee, a man with a troubling history of child sexual offences, was caught in an elaborate sting operation conducted by the vigilante group known as Dark Justice. The incident unfolded in Newcastle upon Tyne, where Lee traveled from his home in Basingstoke after believing he was communicating with a 14-year-old girl named Rebecca on the popular social networking site Badoo.

Unbeknownst to Lee, the online interactions were part of a carefully orchestrated trap set by Dark Justice, a duo of undercover operatives posing as a teenage girl. The group created a false profile on Badoo, a platform intended for users over 18, and engaged Lee in a series of conversations that quickly turned sexually explicit. During these exchanges, Lee, who used the alias ForHire, expressed his attraction to young girls and even disclosed that he had previously fathered a child with a 12-year-old girl in 1998.

As the conversations progressed over several days, Lee sent explicit images of himself, including a photograph of his genitals. When Rebecca claimed her mother was going away on October 8, Lee became increasingly eager to meet her, stating he would travel from Basingstoke to Newcastle to see her. He arranged to meet Rebecca at the Millennium Bridge on the Quayside at 9 a.m. on October 9.

However, upon arriving at the designated meeting spot, Lee was met not by the teenage girl but by the two vigilantes, who were recording the encounter with a video camera. Confronted and realizing he had been duped, Lee immediately fled the scene. The vigilantes promptly reported the incident to the police, who later apprehended him on the A1 heading south.

Following his arrest, Lee sent a text message indicating he was contemplating suicide. He was subsequently charged and pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. The court proceedings took place at Newcastle Crown Court, where Judge Sean Morris sentenced him to two years and four months in prison. Additionally, Lee was placed on an extended license until 2020, required to register as a sex offender indefinitely, and was subject to a sexual offences prevention order.

During the sentencing, Judge Morris emphasized the seriousness of Lee’s actions, stating, “You were caught by internet vigilantes who pretended to be a girl. You entered into a conversation with them on the internet and they pretended the female was 14 and you went for it. You arranged to come to Newcastle from Basingstoke to have sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old child. That is extremely serious.”

He also acknowledged the peculiar legal situation, noting that because no real child was involved, the case fell into a limited category of offences, but still considered Lee a significant danger to children. The court also heard that Lee had a prior conviction for having sex with a 12-year-old girl, which resulted in pregnancy.

Defence lawyer Andrew Walker argued that the operation was a sting and not entrapment, asserting that there was no actual child involved in the offence. He pointed out that the website used was intended for adults and was not a dating platform, and that the two men behind Dark Justice were concerned citizens rather than vigilantes. They expressed their desire to see changes in the law to require internet users to identify themselves with credit card verification.

Following the hearing, the two operatives, who wished to remain anonymous, stated they are concerned citizens committed to preventing online child exploitation. They plan to upload a video of the sting on their website, http://www.darkjustice.co.uk/. This case underscores ongoing efforts to combat online grooming and protect vulnerable children from predators.